If you’re tempted to become one of many who follow a low-carb, high protein diet, read this before you commit

It sounds ideal: a diet that calls for unlimited amounts of steak, cheese and cream, yet allows you to lose weight at the same time. But high-protein low-carbohydrate eating plans like the Atkins diet, although promoted by svelte Hollywood celebs and non-celebs alike, can be harder to maintain than you think.

What is it?

The premise of the Atkins diet is that by cutting down on foods high in refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, bread, pasta, cereals and other low-fat ‘processed’ foods, you reduce the amount of insulin produced in your body. When there are high levels of insulin in the body, any food you eat is quickly converted and stored as fat, so if you reduce these levels you will lose weight. Those who follow this diet do, in fact, usually see results in the first few weeks.

Dr Atkins suggests that most of us eat too many carbs. He argues that eating high-carb, low-protein and low-fat meals (advocated by government organisations and professional bodies such as the American Dietetic Association, the American Medical Association, the American Heart Association and the British Dietetic Association), makes us hungrier and less satisfied than if we ate low-carbohydrate, high-protein and high-fat foods.

Dr Atkins’ philosophy is that if you follow his diet and eliminate highly refined carbs, you will:

• Burn fat first, instead of carbs, and lose weight quickly.
• Stave off hunger between meals because high-protein diets are more satiating than high-carb ones. As protein is digested slowly in the system, high-protein diets also stabilise blood sugar levels, which can prevent common conditions such as fatigue, depression, headaches, joint and muscular pains.
• Improve your health; because as you burn fat you will eliminate toxins stored in fat cells.

The science bit

The science behind how the Atkins diet helps you to lose weight is simple. When you eat very few carbohydrates (which are your usual main source of energy), the body goes into what is called a ‘ketogenic state’ where it must rely on stored fat for energy. As a result, you burn fat quickly and begin to lose weight. This process also makes the body produce compounds called ketones, which initially give dieters a ‘buzz’ or euphoric feeling. Most dieters don’t feel deprived on low-carb diets for the first several days because they are eating meals high in fat.

The cons

The problem with the Atkins and other low-carb, high-protein diets is that this ketogenic state is unhealthy for several reasons. First, the brain relies on glucose for fuel (primarily derived from carbohydrates). When you burn fat to release energy, as you do on a low-carb diet, less glucose is produced and the ketones generated aren’t adequate to fuel the brain.

Secondly, as the body tries to eliminate ketones through the liver and kidneys, it puts a severe strain on these organs. Also, after several days of having high levels of ketones in your system you may experience dehydration, weakness, nausea, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, insomnia, irritability and, in severe cases, gout and kidney problems. In addition, this ketogenic state can be particularly dangerous for people with medical conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, kidney problems and diabetes.

Staying on the diet

Staying on the Atkins diet for several weeks is considered unhealthy, and even dangerous, for the following reasons:

• Foods high in protein like meat, eggs and cheese are also high in saturated fat, which is a known risk factor for raising blood cholesterol and increasing the risk of heart disease.
• Diets high in protein can increase calcium loss from the body, which may increase the risk of osteoporosis.
• People with medical problems such as liver or kidney disease may be at risk from serious problems and even death from a diet high in protein. This is due to the stress placed on the kidneys and other organs to eliminate ketones and other compounds such as urea (a by-product generated from the breakdown of protein) from the body.

Tried and tested

Many who have tried the Atkins diet say it helped them lose weight quicker than low-fat eating plans. However, others argue that the reason low-carb diets lead to quick weight loss is because dieters have to restrict many of the foods they eat, including fruits, vegetables, breads and cereals. Additionally, it is difficult to maintain this kind of diet over a long period of time because your food choice is so limited. As with any diet, as soon as people come off it, they revert back to their old eating habits and regain the weight they lost.

Conclusion

If you’re trying to lose weight, the best method is to exercise regularly and lower your calorie intake but still eat a balanced diet that doesn’t eliminate specific food groups. Ultimately, it is the consumption of excess calories rather than carbohydrates that leads to fat being stored in the body.

Successful weight loss and weight management is achieved through eating a variety of foods, including plenty of fruit and vegetables, starchy carbohydrates, and a protein source at each meal.

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